Stunning! Best read so far this year! Don.t know why it is even compared to The Song of Achilles, as it is so different and unique. A read you will not put down.. A tale of harrowing determination and strength, doing everything you need to do.

This historical retelling was an amazing epic set in China in the 1300s during the rule of the Mongols. When orphaned and abandoned, Zhu refuses to become nothing and claims the fate that was prophecied for her brother. Assuming his name, and passing as a boy, Zhu's story takes her from the monastery to the battlefields.

She Who Became the Sun was something I felt I had read before, while I also haven't if that makes sense. We delve into the world of war and political ties with any historical fiction novel, but Parker-Chan made it in a way where you get tied up in these characters and their outcomes.

I will admit, it took me a long while to complete due to the fact I found the pacing to be very slow at first. Not only that, but many names were used (make notes, y'all!), but I eventually figured it out. About halfway through is when I became more intrigued with the plot line seeing how everything fell into place and how both sides of the story fell into one.

The dealing of gender and sexuality in this book was something I really loved. It was a learning experience for me as well, as I have never read about characters with these identities in many books before. It explored a new field, which I enjoyed and Parker-Chan did a great job in expressing what these characters went through, and their thought processes with their identities.

Our main character, who we never really know, surprised me in many aspects. The brutal aspect of this book took me aback, since I had never expected many of the things that occurred toward the end to actually happen. With the ending provided, I am very excited to see where the second book takes readers and showcases what happens to everyone due to the hardships and sacrifices both leads did to obtain their spots.

Even with the slow beginning on my part, I give this a solid four stars. Thank you to NetGalley, TOR Books, and Shelley Parker-Chan for an e-book arc of this book.

A female monk working her way towards power, a eunuch with plans for revenge, and a war that wages between them. In a famine stricken village, a brother and sister are left to die... and soon when the boy Zhu Chongba dies... his sister takes his name and disguises herself as a boy in order to enter into the monastery and survive. As Zhu works in order to hide her identity and survive not only the harsh life of the monastery but the military life she finds herself thrust into once her monastery is destroyed.... she soon finds herself raising in the ranks and building her own destiny. On the other hand is the story of Ouyang, a boy whose family is murdered in front of him and than he is castrated and forced into slavery. He has been carefully planning his revenge while pretending to serve the killers who took everything away from him... but navigating court politics and his own emotions is extremely difficult, especially when his enemy is his own best friend. Zhu and Ouyang find themselves on opposing sides, serving different leaders and different agendas but are constantly running into one another. With war on the break, each side must find a way to survive and achieve their own goal... no matter what it costs them.

This story was marketed as a “Mulan meets The Song of Achilles” both two things I absolutely adore and in some ways I can definitely see it. It is a queer and lyrical reimagining and the characters are complex. In a time where there are so many restrictions for woman, and for being different, sometimes we must ask ourselves how far we are willing to go to get what we want. It really was an interesting read. Though that ending was not something I had exactly expected. I have to say though, for me, my favorite character was Ouyang and his journey.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

CW- death, famine, violence, blood, gore, vomit, torture, sexual content, animal cruelty/death, murder, slavery, grief, murder, homophobia, internalized homophobia, misogyny
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She Who Became the Sun is a lyrical historical fantasy that shows imperial China as well as a war and a young person’s fight to be great.
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I was really excited for this book once I heard the synopsis, and I still really enjoyed it. I loved the exploration of gender identity and the exploration of fate, but ultimately this book was just to slow for me. It dragged, and it was really hard for me to make it through the middle. I did love the beginning though!
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Since this is slated to become a series, I am interested how the story will continue. I did love the characters because they were very distinct and nuanced, and I am excited to see how their stories continue.
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Also, Ma was one of my favorite characters throughout the book. She was so strong and empathetic and I am especially excited to see her story progress.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book!
It's kind of hard not to compare this book with the Poppy Wars, what with the historic Chinese setting, the female protagonist who makes questionable moral decisions . . .
But this isn't quite as wrenching to read as The Poppy Wars, and is still a very good fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was an immersive read with good characterization and pace. Not sure if it is a stand-alone or part of a series; but if more appears I will surely read it! I really need to know how {this thing I won't tell you for spoiler reasons} happens! Really good story.

It’s been a month and a half since I finished the book and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a literary fantasy reimagining of the first Ming Dynasty emperor’s rise to power. (1345, China.) Absolutely brilliant, thoroughly-researched, and incredibly nuanced in its exploration of gender (while still maintaining realistic-feeling historic societal attitudes) and power, SWBTS will undoubtedly remain one of my favorite reads of the year.

Highly recommended! It’s out (in the US) July 20 and certainly worth preordering. Please note that this first novel in the series is lighter on fantasy, so expect a bit more of a historic angle.

Thank you Tor Books for providing a free advanced electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

It had been so long between requesting this and reading it that I had forgotten the premise of the book. So I went in blind with no expectations and was hooked from the start. I enjoyed the writing and the plot immensely. For most of the book I didn't feel like I really understood or knew Zhu, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the book at all. This was a well-written historical retelling that was hard to put down. Definitely recommend!

Supposedly this is a version of the Mulan story. The problem is that Zhu is not likeable, the training she receives at the monastery takes too long and doesn't really help readers understand how this person becomes anything later, and by 25% I was done. DNF.

CWs: blood, graphic injury, dismemberment, mutilation, torture, murder, and violence; references to slavery and war crimes; misogyny, sexism, and sexist slurs; some ableist language; descriptions of contagious illness; physical abuse; infidelity; and some scenes containing explicit sex

Let me level with you: I am still struggling to piece together the right words to describe how this book made me feel. The experience of reading it was so heightened and dynamic in a way I still can't fully explain. Regardless, She Who Became the Sun is a powerful story about the evolving, all-consuming nature of desire and about making fate a choice instead of a chance. It's a story that dares to ask: is destiny something we're born into or is it something we make for ourselves?

Her brother was prophesied to be legendary, but when he dies unceremoniously, our nameless main character takes up his name of Zhu Chongba and also his discarded fate of greatness, determined to make it her own. The denial of Zhu's desire is two-fold in this story. As someone raised to be a woman, she was told to discard not only her desire but also her autonomy since her life could only be "in service" of men and secondary to men. When she disguises herself as her brother and joins a monastery in order to avoid famine and death at the hands of the Mongols, she is once again told to discard her earthly desires because her life is to be dedicated in service to the heavens. What she wants and what she dreams for herself is not only secondary and discouraged, but forbidden; it is not to be borne.

But a life of service and obscurity is not good enough for Zhu. In so many ways, she is destined, by both fate and circumstance, to fail. A quiet and meaningless death is the best that she can hope for, and she simply *refuses* that fate. It's a story about Zhu reclaiming her agency in spectacular, dramatic fashion, defying everyone's expectations and fighting for her right not only to live, but to be powerful and to be *known* in every way that matters. It's a story about a character being told that she can't and she won't, and yet finding the courage to do those things anyways. And she succeeds, not because she's all all-powerful being, but because she is unprecedented—because the way she approaches things is different from the way things have always been done.

And in that sense, the story is very much about the power of difference. Zhu presents herself as a man, at first so that she can survive, but then also because she feels more aligned with masculinity and understands herself as someone who is definitely not a woman. She carries herself as a man, but the way that she is a man is inherently different than someone who raised to be a man, and that unique perspective is actually her secret weapon as opposed to a "weakness." Just by existing, she is reconciling so many different perspectives, and her true success comes from being able to understand the world through so many different lenses. For Zhu and other characters, sometimes those differences can be reconciled and sometimes the chasm that needs to be bridged is simply too great.

The story is also about Zhu struggling to balance what she wants to be versus what she thinks she's "supposed" to be. She thinks she's supposed to be a woman, she thinks she's supposed to be a monk, she thinks she's supposed to be exactly the kind of man that Zhu Chongba would have been if he had lived, she thinks she's supposed to be a symbol. But all of those warring expectations don't leave room for her to figure out who she is and what she wants. Does her desire come from someone else's definition of greatness or is she simply stronger and braver for going after an impossible dream that those before her would never even imagine for themselves? Grappling with a reality that exists both within *and* beyond those expectations is a major part of her journey throughout this book.

Ultimately, She Who Became the Sun is a story that asks what it looks like to know your worth and pursue it with every breath left in your body, even when the world is telling you a different story. It questions where we draw the line between selfishness and self-assuredness, and whether destiny actually renders us powerless or grants us the power to fight our way towards a predetermined finish line. Set against an epic and dramatic backdrop of war that is both historical and fantastical, this story is not just astonishing to behold, but it's also a beautiful, emotional, and intimate portrait of a character fighting for her right to exist against all odds. Looking back on this book, I feel a sense of gratitude for having bore witness to Zhu's journey, and I know this is only the beginning of what promises to be a truly incredible and unforgettable epic.

A beautifully intricate historical fantasy that will sit with me for a long time, I am so excited to see where the author takes the story next and what else they have in store for future works.

Zhu's brother was the one destined for greatness; she herself was fated for nothingness. When famine, drought, and bandits kill every other member of her family, Zhu decides to disguise herself as a boy and steal his destiny. Her training at the monastery where he was pledged hones her resolve and intelligence, but only by leaving her cloistered life and entering the war-torn chaos of 14th century China can she attain the greatness she desires. Zhu is brilliant and ruthless, but so are many among both her rebel faction and their Mongol overlords. A gripping and bloody reimagining of the foundation of the Ming dynasty. Thanks, Netgalley.

What words can I write to do this book the justice it deserves? How do I put the churning emotions this book has invoked in me into a coherent review? It feels impossible. Nothing I write seems adequate enough. Because this book? Is one I will be thinking about for a long time.

In this masterful reimaging of the rise of the Hongwu Emperor and the founding of the Ming Dynasty, She Who Became the Sun is a fantastic blend of revenge, tragic yearning, political intrigue, and history. A brutal book with two storylines, explorations of gender, and ambitious and ruthless characters that will absolutely take your breath away.

From the very first chapter you can feel the tension, the desire, the desperation seeping from the pages. Once this book gets its hooks into you, it doesn't let go. The character development and absolutely gorgeous writing all makes this a book you don't want to miss out on.

If you take anything away from this review, let it be that you need to pick up a copy of this devastatingly beautiful book asap.

This is a beautifully written book. I didn’t know I needed the concept Mulan meets song of achilles til I got this book. The book has a wonderful pace and was a lovely read, I was captivated through the entire book. The storylines were wonderfully intertwined.
Love love love this book.

In famine stricken China, the Zhu family's son is given a great destiny. The daughter is given the destiny of nothing. When the son dies, the daughter assumes his identity and enters a monastery as a boy. When the Zhu daughter finally achieves her goal of becoming a monk, Mongols burn the monastery, leaving her to ponder the fate she has taken as her own.

This was an extremely well written book. The story was well paced and the characters were dynamic. My only criticism is that the book did not have a real ending. It desperately needs either ran epilogue or a second book. Due to this criticism, 4 out of 5 stars.

4,5 stars

It's absolutely amazing to me how this book is Parker-Chan's debut. It's so wonderfully written and thought out.

Zhu isn't supposed to be destined for greatness, but she chose to be, and she won't let anyone stand in her way. She's the perfect anti-hero, she's ambitious and fierce and ruthless and cunning and ready to do anything to get what she wants. From the very beginning I loved her determination, I knew she'd be a character I'd love, and she did not disappoint. I love reading about characters like Zhu.
The book is wonderfully paced, there isn't a time when you're bored, you're always on edge, wondering what will happen next. It's so full of action and suspense, it's a real page turner.
The political intrigues was so well written, I love stories about power, loyalty and backstabbing, scheming and strategy. I loved the conflicts both between the Red Turbans and the Mongols, and inside each camp as well. All the fake loyalties, the murderous plots, but also the battles! And getting to see the conflict from both camps with the dual POV was so interesting.

This book is perfect for lovers of anti-heroes, complex characters, political intrigues, scheming, and battles.

CW: dysphoria, pre-existing non-consensual castration, misgendering, internalised homophobia, life-altering injury (amputation), ableist language, non-graphic depictions of death by torture, major character death, offscreen murder of a child, scenes depicting extreme hunger/starvation, graphic depiction of a person burning to death

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

I was really excited about this book and I'm disappointed I did not enjoy it more. I love character driven books and I don't mind slow pacing. However, this book was painfully slow and lacked good characterization. I think this was mostly due to the author's writing style. The prose itself was solid, but the author wrote in a way that made me feel very detached from the characters. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which I'm not a fan of. This left me unable to connect with story on an emotional level so I ended up bored most of the time.

I do think the author accomplished something unique in the genre though. The exploration of gender and sexuality was very thoughtful and compelling. It was definitely the best part of the book for me. Even though this one didn't work for me, I would still encourage you to pick it up if it sounds interesting to you. I think this book could work really well for the right reader.

Rating: Solid Book,

What is this book about?
It is 1345 in China, which is under Mongol rule, and we start out following a young girl during a famine. Her brother, Zhu Chongba, is prophesied to have a fate of greatness, and she is prophesied to have a fate of nothing. When her father is killed by bandits and her brother succumbs to despair, the girl realizes that she wants more than anything to survive, so she assumes her brother's name in the hope that she can assume his fate as well. We follow Zhu as she becomes a monk and later joins the Red Turban rebellion against the harsh Mongol rule in her quest to achieve her stolen destiny.

I knew this book was a historical fantasy, but I didn't realize just how historically based this story really was until I began digging around on the author's website. I would say that this is essentially a reimagining of historical events with only minor fantastical elements that didn't really come into play too much. I highly suggest (AFTER you've read the book) taking a look to learn some more about the real Red Turban Rebellion and many of the real historical figures that are characters in this novel.
https://shelleyparkerchan.com/historical-figures/

Overall this book was a solid read for me. It wasn't a huge standout, but I didn't particularly dislike it. I think it is a pretty solid debut that had some things that I enjoyed and some things that didn't work for me. I was expecting more action based on the premise, and I was surprised to find that it was more character driven than anything else.

What I Liked About This Book:
- I think it was extremely well-written. It is well-crafted and the characters have depth to them. Even if I didn't particularly like the characters, I found them intriguing and was interested to see what they would do next.
- It covers a wide range of themes, such as destiny/fate, gender identity and roles, gender expectations, familial duty, honor, self-worth and acceptance, and love. I think that some of these were explored to a greater breadth and depth than others, and some feel as though they are setting the stage to be explored more thoroughly later in the story. However, I felt that Shelley Parker-Chan did an excellent job of exploring many of these themes in a very subtle way.
- I enjoyed the addition of several more POVs in Part 2, I felt that it added to the story, and allowed for some breaks away from Zhu and an introduction to the other side of the conflict.
- We get some physical disability representation in one of the POV characters, and I really appreciate that while the world is one in which a physical disability is something that would cause great shame, there is a narrative of self-acceptance for that particular character and it is not necessarily something that they buy into and perpetuate the ideals of their culture. So a step in the right direction for what I want to see for physical disability representation in my fantasy!

What Didn't Work For Me:
- This is a very character-driven narrative. There aren't a lot of action scenes or political machinations, and when there are, they are almost secondary to whatever is happening with the character in that moment. Normally this isn't a problem for me, but as I didn't particularly like any of the characters in this story or feel that invested in their story arcs, it lessened some of my enjoyment. The pacing was very consistent from the start to the end, and is the slower pace that is typical of the character driven stories, but it became difficult at times when that character connection just wasn't there.
- Something that was commonly used when characters were scheming or engaging in any type of political machination was that it was written in such a way that the reader was left in the dark as to what exactly they were planning for a while. Often the character would think something like "Now THAT is going to happen" and would start to plan around THAT, but would never tell the reader what THAT was until the end of the chapter when it was a big reveal. This was fine the first time it was done, but as it continued to happen, I found it frustrating. This is my own personal preference, but I found it rather frustrating.
- I felt as though the concept of fate and destiny was really hit very hard and was perhaps a bit overbearing at times. It almost felt like a crutch sometimes, but this may have just been because I wasn't particularly enamored with the characters who were really caught up in the idea of fate and destiny. I understand that this is likely a large part of the cultural time period, but it still got somewhat frustrating when I didn't feel like I had a good understanding for why this was so engrained in them in the first place.

Overall, I definitely think that this book will be a huge hit with some people and a miss with others, especially if they go into it looking for action, a strong love story, or strong fantasy elements. It is right in the middle for me, and a very solid debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an advance eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited for this book, and while it was good, I don’t feel it lived up the expectation. I liked the gender flip it made for an imaginative read, however I found myself looking for biographies on the real founder of the Ming dynasty to supplement the story. It took a while to get all the characters straight and this book had a lot of gaps. I don’t know if the author planned a sequel but I think this book could have been two.

This book hands down gets 5 stars! I loved the characters, the world building, the plot.

If you are going into it thinking only of the song of Achilles then please dont. This book is pretty much nothing like that book. But you will find out why there was that comparison. This book is brutal and dark - about characters who will do anything in their power to get what they want - What they believe they deserve.

There are anti heroes, villains and this book is written during a time of war so be prepared for it. This book is seriously so well written and one that untruly enjoyed.

I look forward to purchasing a finished copy.

Thanks Netgalley & Tor books for the e-arc